DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-2, 5-6, 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated Hartwig et al. (US 2019/0310411 A1; Hartwig).
As of claim 1, Hartwig teaches a projector assembly 1 [fig 1] with at least one light source 2 (light module) [fig 1] [0046], with a gobo screen 16 (external optical element can be for example an element which is referred to in the art as gobo) [fig 1] [0048] which is connected downstream of the light source 2 [fig 1] (shown with fig 1 below) and upstream of which a gobo aperture diaphragm 4 (shutter) [fig 1] [0049] (shown with fig 1 below) is connected, with a gobo lens 6 [fig 1], which is connected downstream of the light source 2 [fig 1] and is connected upstream of the gobo screen 16 [fig 1] (shown with fig 1 below), with a projection lens 8 [fig 1], which is connected downstream of the gobo screen 16 [fig 1], and with an aperture diaphragm (shutter 4 can be designed for example as an iris diaphragm and/or as at least one adjustable slit) [0049], which is connected downstream of the gobo screen 16 [fig 1], the gobo lens 6 [fig 1] being designed and arranged in such a way that the light emitted by the light source 2 [fig 1] is focused into an image plane of the aperture diaphragm 4 [fig 1], and wherein the projection lens 8 [fig 1] is designed and arranged in such a way that displays an image plane [fig 1] from the gobo screen 16 [fig 1] in a far field [0023].
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As of claim 2, Hartwig teaches a collimation lens 22 [fig 3] (FIG. 3 illustrates an internal space of the light module 2) [0050] is provided downstream of the light source 2 [fig 1] and is connected upstream of the projection lens 8 [fig 1] and the gobo screen 16 [fig 1] and the gobo aperture diaphragm 4 [fig 1].
As of claim 5, Hartwig teaches the aperture diaphragm 4 [fig 1] downstream of the gobo screen 16 [fig 1] is arranged downstream of the projection lens 8 [fig 1].
As of claim 6, Hartwig teaches the aperture diaphragm 4 [fig 1] downstream of the gobo screen 16 [fig 1] is formed on a light exit surface of the projection lens [0047].
As of claim 10, Hartwig teaches a projection system 1 [fig 1] with a system housing 10 [fig 1] in which the projector assembly (comprising of light module 2, shutter 4, optical elements 6, 16 and projection lens 8) [fig 1] is arranged, wherein further projector 1 [fig 1] components are arranged in the system housing 10 [fig 1].
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or non-obviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 3-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hartwig et al. (US 2019/0310411 A1; Hartwig) in view of Burgess et al. (US 2019/0113184 A1; Burgess).
Hartwig teaches the invention as cited above except for the gobo screen has a carrier with a light entry surface and a light exit surface, and wherein a gobo is formed on at least one of the light entry surface and the light exit surface and a carrier is formed separately.
Burgess teaches a light projection device [fig 4] having the gobo screen 140 [fig 4] [0020] has a carrier 102 [fig 4] with a light entry surface (bottom surface of 140) [fig 4] and a light exit surface 129 [fig 4], and wherein a gobo 140 [fig 4] is formed on at least one of the light entry surface (bottom surface of 140) [fig 4] and the light exit surface 129 [fig 4] and a carrier 102 [fig 4] is formed separately (gobo 140 is formed separate from the carrier 102) [fig 4.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the gobo screen has a carrier with a light entry surface and a light exit surface, and wherein a gobo is formed on at least one of the light entry surface and the light exit surface and the light exit surface and a carrier is formed separately as taught by Burgess to the projector assembly as disclosed by Hartwig to shape the diffused light stream from the diffuser into a patterned light stream (Burgess; [0003]).
Hartwig in view of Burgess teaches the invention as cited above except for the gobo is formed as a film. However, a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the gobo is formed as a film as a design choice (Rearrangement of Parts; MPEP 2144.04 VI C) in order to have a light weight gobo.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-9 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
As of claim 7, the closest prior art Hartwig et al. (US 2019/0310411 A1; Hartwig) teaches a stationary projector for event and entertainment purposes, includes a light module 2, which together with an at least partially closing shutter 4 and further optical elements 6 (“gate” in the art) are housed in a housing 10 in a manner in which they are connected upstream of a projection lens 8. Light 12, which has been coupled out of the light module 2, is guided through the shutter 4 and others of the optical elements 6 to be emitted in collimated fashion through the projection lens 8. The optical elements 6 include internal optical elements 14, which are arranged and configured such that they are able to be switched/introduced within the light module 2 in the optical path or at least into the optical path, and external optical elements 16, which are arranged and configured such that they are able to be switched/introduced outside the light module 2 in the optical path or at least into the optical path. At least one external optical element can be for example an element which is referred to in the art as gobo, or graphical optical blackout. At least one optical element 6 can be formed for example from an optical material, e.g. having a refractive index of 1.3 or more. At least one optical element 6 can be for example a lens, a cylindrical lens, a prism, a diamond-like structure, a TIR (total internal reflection) element, a kaleidoscope element, a shutter, a plurality thereof or an arrangement therewith, and/or a combination thereof. At least one optical element 6 can be designed for example to be stationary, to be interchangeable by a rotatable disk or the like, and/or to be itself rotatable. At least one optical element 6 can be embodied for example in LCD (liquid crystal display) technology, such as LCoS (liquid-crystal on silicon) technology or in DMD (digital (micro)mirror device) technology. An optical element 6 in LCD technology can serve for producing a variable pattern, wherein the losses are advantageously low in an exemplary combination with laser light due to the polarization. A multiplicity of optical elements 6 in LCD technology in the optical path can be advantageous in order to shape not only a plane of the light beam, but to shape the entire light beam, wherein e.g. to this end the LCD elements can be advantageously arranged for example directly before a first lenticular array sheet, between the lenticular array sheets, and/or after the lenticular array sheets near an outlet of the light module 2. The shutter 4 can be used to control the light emission. It can be arranged for example upstream of the external optical elements 16 in order to control the entire light emission or at any position along the optical path within the light module 2 in order to control the light emission for example for only a portion of the light, such as a set of wavelengths. A shutter can be designed for example as an iris diaphragm and/or as at least one adjustable slit. Hartwig does not anticipate or render obvious, alone or in combination, a housing is provided in which at least one of a collimation lens, the projection lens, a carrier, and the gobo lens are arranged and fixed, wherein the housing has a gobo contact surface, which surrounds a beam path of the light at least in portions or completely, wherein one or more adhesive regions are provided between the carrier and the gobo contact surface in order to bond them to one another, wherein an adhesive from the one or more adhesive regions is UV-curable.
As of claim 8, the closest prior art Hartwig et al. (US 2019/0310411 A1; Hartwig) teaches a stationary projector for event and entertainment purposes, includes a light module 2, which together with an at least partially closing shutter 4 and further optical elements 6 (“gate” in the art) are housed in a housing 10 in a manner in which they are connected upstream of a projection lens 8. Light 12, which has been coupled out of the light module 2, is guided through the shutter 4 and others of the optical elements 6 to be emitted in collimated fashion through the projection lens 8. The optical elements 6 include internal optical elements 14, which are arranged and configured such that they are able to be switched/introduced within the light module 2 in the optical path or at least into the optical path, and external optical elements 16, which are arranged and configured such that they are able to be switched/introduced outside the light module 2 in the optical path or at least into the optical path. At least one external optical element can be for example an element which is referred to in the art as gobo, or graphical optical blackout. At least one optical element 6 can be formed for example from an optical material, e.g. having a refractive index of 1.3 or more. At least one optical element 6 can be for example a lens, a cylindrical lens, a prism, a diamond-like structure, a TIR (total internal reflection) element, a kaleidoscope element, a shutter, a plurality thereof or an arrangement therewith, and/or a combination thereof. At least one optical element 6 can be designed for example to be stationary, to be interchangeable by a rotatable disk or the like, and/or to be itself rotatable. At least one optical element 6 can be embodied for example in LCD (liquid crystal display) technology, such as LCoS (liquid-crystal on silicon) technology or in DMD (digital (micro)mirror device) technology. An optical element 6 in LCD technology can serve for producing a variable pattern, wherein the losses are advantageously low in an exemplary combination with laser light due to the polarization. A multiplicity of optical elements 6 in LCD technology in the optical path can be advantageous in order to shape not only a plane of the light beam, but to shape the entire light beam, wherein e.g. to this end the LCD elements can be advantageously arranged for example directly before a first lenticular array sheet, between the lenticular array sheets, and/or after the lenticular array sheets near an outlet of the light module 2. The shutter 4 can be used to control the light emission. It can be arranged for example upstream of the external optical elements 16 in order to control the entire light emission or at any position along the optical path within the light module 2 in order to control the light emission for example for only a portion of the light, such as a set of wavelengths. A shutter can be designed for example as an iris diaphragm and/or as at least one adjustable slit. Hartwig does not anticipate or render obvious, alone or in combination, a housing has at least one of a first inner step having a first stepped surface pointing counter to a direction of radiation, on which a collimation lens is axially supported and a second inner step having a second stepped surface pointing in the direction of radiation, on which the projection lens is axially supported.
Claim 9 would be allowed as being dependent on claim 8.
Claims 11-18 are allowed.
As of claim 11, the closest prior art Hartwig et al. (US 2019/0310411 A1; Hartwig) teaches a stationary projector for event and entertainment purposes, includes a light module 2, which together with an at least partially closing shutter 4 and further optical elements 6 (“gate” in the art) are housed in a housing 10 in a manner in which they are connected upstream of a projection lens 8. Light 12, which has been coupled out of the light module 2, is guided through the shutter 4 and others of the optical elements 6 to be emitted in collimated fashion through the projection lens 8. The optical elements 6 include internal optical elements 14, which are arranged and configured such that they are able to be switched/introduced within the light module 2 in the optical path or at least into the optical path, and external optical elements 16, which are arranged and configured such that they are able to be switched/introduced outside the light module 2 in the optical path or at least into the optical path. At least one external optical element can be for example an element which is referred to in the art as gobo, or graphical optical blackout. At least one optical element 6 can be formed for example from an optical material, e.g. having a refractive index of 1.3 or more. At least one optical element 6 can be for example a lens, a cylindrical lens, a prism, a diamond-like structure, a TIR (total internal reflection) element, a kaleidoscope element, a shutter, a plurality thereof or an arrangement therewith, and/or a combination thereof. At least one optical element 6 can be designed for example to be stationary, to be interchangeable by a rotatable disk or the like, and/or to be itself rotatable. At least one optical element 6 can be embodied for example in LCD (liquid crystal display) technology, such as LCoS (liquid-crystal on silicon) technology or in DMD (digital (micro)mirror device) technology. An optical element 6 in LCD technology can serve for producing a variable pattern, wherein the losses are advantageously low in an exemplary combination with laser light due to the polarization. A multiplicity of optical elements 6 in LCD technology in the optical path can be advantageous in order to shape not only a plane of the light beam, but to shape the entire light beam, wherein e.g. to this end the LCD elements can be advantageously arranged for example directly before a first lenticular array sheet, between the lenticular array sheets, and/or after the lenticular array sheets near an outlet of the light module 2. The shutter 4 can be used to control the light emission. It can be arranged for example upstream of the external optical elements 16 in order to control the entire light emission or at any position along the optical path within the light module 2 in order to control the light emission for example for only a portion of the light, such as a set of wavelengths. A shutter can be designed for example as an iris diaphragm and/or as at least one adjustable slit. Hartwig does not anticipate or render obvious, alone or in combination, a housing is provided in which at least one of a collimation lens, the projection lens, a carrier, and the gobo lens are arranged and fixed, the housing having a gobo contact surface which surrounds a beam path of the light at least in portions or completely, and one or more adhesive regions being provided between the carrier and the gobo contact surface in order to bond them to one another, an adhesive from the one or more adhesive regions being UV-curable.
Claims 12-14 are allowed as being dependent on claim 11.
As of claim 15, the closest prior art Hartwig et al. (US 2019/0310411 A1; Hartwig) teaches a stationary projector for event and entertainment purposes, includes a light module 2, which together with an at least partially closing shutter 4 and further optical elements 6 (“gate” in the art) are housed in a housing 10 in a manner in which they are connected upstream of a projection lens 8. Light 12, which has been coupled out of the light module 2, is guided through the shutter 4 and others of the optical elements 6 to be emitted in collimated fashion through the projection lens 8. The optical elements 6 include internal optical elements 14, which are arranged and configured such that they are able to be switched/introduced within the light module 2 in the optical path or at least into the optical path, and external optical elements 16, which are arranged and configured such that they are able to be switched/introduced outside the light module 2 in the optical path or at least into the optical path. At least one external optical element can be for example an element which is referred to in the art as gobo, or graphical optical blackout. At least one optical element 6 can be formed for example from an optical material, e.g. having a refractive index of 1.3 or more. At least one optical element 6 can be for example a lens, a cylindrical lens, a prism, a diamond-like structure, a TIR (total internal reflection) element, a kaleidoscope element, a shutter, a plurality thereof or an arrangement therewith, and/or a combination thereof. At least one optical element 6 can be designed for example to be stationary, to be interchangeable by a rotatable disk or the like, and/or to be itself rotatable. At least one optical element 6 can be embodied for example in LCD (liquid crystal display) technology, such as LCoS (liquid-crystal on silicon) technology or in DMD (digital (micro)mirror device) technology. An optical element 6 in LCD technology can serve for producing a variable pattern, wherein the losses are advantageously low in an exemplary combination with laser light due to the polarization. A multiplicity of optical elements 6 in LCD technology in the optical path can be advantageous in order to shape not only a plane of the light beam, but to shape the entire light beam, wherein e.g. to this end the LCD elements can be advantageously arranged for example directly before a first lenticular array sheet, between the lenticular array sheets, and/or after the lenticular array sheets near an outlet of the light module 2. The shutter 4 can be used to control the light emission. It can be arranged for example upstream of the external optical elements 16 in order to control the entire light emission or at any position along the optical path within the light module 2 in order to control the light emission for example for only a portion of the light, such as a set of wavelengths. A shutter can be designed for example as an iris diaphragm and/or as at least one adjustable slit. Hartwig does not anticipate or render obvious, alone or in combination, a housing has at least one of a first inner step having a first stepped surface pointing counter to a direction of radiation, on which a collimation lens is axially supported and a second inner step having a second stepped surface pointing in the direction of radiation, on which the projection lens is axially supported.
Claims 16-18 are allowed as being dependent on claim 15.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
- Prior Art Kinzer et al. (US 20200103097 A1) teaches a lighting fixture including a light source including an array of light emitting diodes (LEDs) and a reflector including a input end adjacent the array of LEDs and an output end opposite the input end such that the light source emits light through the reflector from the input end through the output end. The reflector further includes a first, a second, a third, and a fourth sidewall that extend from the input end to the output end. The first and the second sidewalls each include an interior surface, the third and the fourth sidewalls each include an interior surface having a reflectivity that is more diffuse than the interior surfaces of the first and second sidewalls. A lens is adjacent the output end of the reflector;
- Prior Art Advani (US 10324266 B1) teaches an LED light projector comprising a housing, a motor seated in the housing, and a projection carousel mounted distally on the motor and configured to rotate therewith in the housing. The projection carousel comprises a disk with a plurality of windows each having a plano-convex lens mounted therein. In addition, an LED circuit board is mounted on the motor, the LED circuit board including a number of LEDs for emitting a plurality of light beams. A focal assembly is mounted on the motor overtop the LED circuit board and it too includes windows each having a plano-concave lens for collimating the light beams. A partition is mounted in the housing adjacent (outside) the focal assembly and projection carousel, and it includes windows each having a removable image slide for passing the light beams and projecting an image thereon. The projected images result in a unique kaleidoscopic pattern.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SULTAN U. CHOWDHURY whose telephone number is (571)270-3336. The examiner can normally be reached on 5:30 AM-5:30 PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Minh-Toan Ton can be reached on 571-272-2303. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SULTAN CHOWDHURY/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2882